A Need for Help and a Craving of Recognition
by Unshed Tears
Summary: the full thing please r/r!!!


A/N: This was my first fanfic. I have decided to repost this completed.

I have edited and all that nice junk too. I hope you like it.... PS. please r/r!

Disclaimer-any Harry Potter characters do not belong to me. They belong to J.K. Rowling

A Need for Help and a Craving of Recognition 

Ron, Harry, and Hermione, where sitting in the common room during the first night of Christmas break of 5th year and it was getting late. Hermione announced it was time for her to go to sleep. The others were in tow when a piece of parchment on the common room floor caught Ron's eye. 

" You guys go ahead up I'll be right behind you" said Ron said. " All right" Harry Yawned and he and Hermione went to their rooms.

Ron un-folded the paper and saw that it appeared to be a letter of some sort. He returned to his chair by the fir and began to read:

__

To whomever cares I hope you find this:

I am 1 member of a huge family and yet I am alone. My life is full of loneliness and has been for as long as I can remember. I long to find someone who knows the true me, rather then the fake person that the rest of this world knows. I have one fear in life and that is that I will end up alone. I have always seemed to be popular and yet no boy has yet liked me. I sit back and help my friends find other people who care about them. And yet, I sadly sit and wonder who cares about me. The people I know still do not know the true me and we have been friends for many years. I am the youngest in my family and I look nothing like any of them. My family makes fun of me in what appears to be a good-natured way but I secretly have un-shed tears that have built up as a result of their words. I could stand in a room full of people and allow myself to understand every single one of these people. And I have yet begun to understand myself.

Classes are good. I get top marks and I have no real trouble with my teachers. I pass each night hanging out with friends and doing my homework as well as helping them with theirs. I laugh at their jokes I cry at their pains and I get mad at their enemies. I could spend hours listening to my friends talk and not let my attention falter in the least. I must owe them all something because they do not do this for me. When they get angry with me I know that it is my fault. I am lucky to have such wonderful friends and I should not be mean to them. Everything is my fault.

I try not to be a needy pathetic person. My problems never escape my mouth. I would rather not bother other people with what are only petty trivialities. I often play with the thought that maybe by hurting him or herself on the outside a person can get rid of what hurts on the inside. But I would never do that! I am not suicidal I just think of things to get rid of the loneliness. That's all I want is to get rid of the loneliness. Is that so much to ask for?

The greatest magicians are not those who can make things appear to be real. They are those who can get other people to believe what they have made appear **is** real. That is the philosophy of my life.

- I hope someone cares

" Wow" Ron thought to himself. " I know so what that's like. I need to find her. I need to let her know that I care. The Snowflake Ball (A/N corny name I know) is on Friday. That means I have exactly one week to find out whom this letter belongs too."

With that thought in mind and the dawn rapidly approaching, Ron retired to his dormitory for some sleep.

A Need for Help and a Craving of Recognition part 2

Ron woke up the next morning with the letter still clutched in his hand. He had a mission and he 

Was going to find that girl! He got up and went down to breakfast. Ginny, Harry, and Hermione were all 

Sitting there chatting and laughing. " Well hello sleepy head." Laughed Hermione " I thought you'd never

Get up."

" Well excuse me for getting my beauty sleep." Yawned Ron. " Yeah he needs all he can get." Said 

Fred joins them at the table. At this Harry made a grab for Ron's arm but missed and Fred and Ron chased 

Each other all over The Great Hall.

" So Harry who are you taking to the Snowflake Ball?" Asked Ginny timidly. " Well I was hoping

You would go with me." Mumbled Harry rather sheepishly. " All right then." Ginny tried to hide her smile 

But it went from ear to ear.

" What about you Hermione who are you going to the ball with?" "Actually Harry nobody has 

Asked me yet ." " Well it sounds like Ron isn't the only one with out a date yet." Said Harry. " Yeah but 

There's still a week left." With that Ron came panting back to the table with a huge bruise on his shoulder.

After breakfast the others went to see Hagrid but Ron decided to go back to the Common Room. 

He needed to figure out how he was going to find the mysterious author. As he approached the portrait whole 

(" Icicles") a thought came to him. What if the writer left another note? Tonight he would return 

Back downstairs after everyone was asleep and search for another note.

The rest of the morning was spent eating off of roasting forks and hanging out the 

Comfy Common Room. Harry and Ginny played exploding snap and Ron and Hermione had a few games of

Chess. After Lunch they joined just about the rest of their house as well as Ravenclaw in a huge snowball

Fight. When it finally became to dark to see and the hospital wing was full, the survivors returned to there 

Common Rooms for some hot tea.

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny spent the rest of the night talking and around 11:00 went to bed. As

Planned Ron returned to the Common Room after he was sure the rest of the house was asleep. To his great 

Surprise he discovered another note. But this time it was sitting on the chair he had been in last night and a 

Bottle of Butter Bear was sitting next to it. Ron settled into the chair and un-folding the not began to read.

To My Red Headed New Friend:

I am so glad that I have found someone who cares. I hope you like the Butter Beer I feel so bad for 

Subjecting you to my feelings of pain but they finally got the best of me. I grew up with a family of 4 

Brothers and 3 sister. Of that bunch I am the youngest. Even our dog is older then me. I have a lot of 

Friends although I don't enjoy the presence of any of them anymore. I feel so incomplete. I know people

Who have already been asked to the Ball and I know I won't be. I tell everyone that I am a muggle born because 

Until a few years ago I thought I was. Out of all the kids in my family I was stolen out of my crib at the age of 3 months.

When I was 7 years old I had a muggle blood test and it was discovered that I could not be related

To the people who were said to be my parents? They were both O- and I was AB. It was then that they told me I had been

Left on their doorstep. It was soon discovered that I belonged to a wizarding family. It turns out that the family squib stole me.

I was returned to my birth parents and life went on. I even still saw my "fake family". I was accepted and I had little trouble with the

Transition. I was not too attached to my parents I guess for it to be devastating. And I was young enough to bounce back.

Or so it was thought.

When I got accepted into Hogwarts I was so happy .My "fake" parents insisted on taking me to buy my supplies.

And there was a fight. Maybe now I would finally have a family. One family. Rather then the two that I felt so outcaste in. And I did find lots of wonderful friends. And yet it only

Made me feel worse. I looked at those friends and felt so jealous. They had a "normal" life. They had what I

Couldn't. It was one more reason to be devastated. But alas life went on. So now you know one of the reasons

I am so unhappy. Does this make me sound desperate?

I believe that is all I will write for now thank you for listening.

"So it could be tons of different people." Thought Ron. " I need to find out whom. Tomorrow I will observe every single girl in Gryffindor

If I have to. Whoever ' She' is she needs me. And I think I need her too." And with that he went to bed

Ron woke up the next morning with a terrible headache. His bones even ached and he was

Sure that he had a fever. "Oh great." He thought,"I'd be stuck in bed all day." Harry hearing his sick 

Friend's complaints felt bad and promised to send a house elf up with some tea and toast. With that 

Thought in mind Ron slipped back into sleep. Unfortunately even magic couldn't cure the flu.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile:

" Hey Hermione can I talk to you for a second?" Asked Harry at breakfast.

" Sure Harry what's on your mind?"

" Well I was wondering if you knew if Ginny liked me or not?"

" Well sure Harry she already said she'd go to the ball with you."

" Yeah but do you think that she would mind if I...err...you know" stammered Harry

" What is it? Spit it out"

"If.. . I...err...iised err....um..If"

" Spit it out Harry..."

" If I were to kiss her at the ball" Harry blushed furiously.

"Aww Harry that's so cute of course she wouldn't mind!"

" Thanks Herm just don't tell anyone ok I kinda want to surprise her

And besides if Ron found out..."

" Don't worry Harry your secrets safe with me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Ron finally woke up it was dusk. The sun was finally starting to go to be right when Ron

Was ready to be awake. " A whole ay wasted." Thought Ron in disgust.

He got up, dressed, and made his way too the common room. " How you feeling Ron?"

Asked Ginny her and Harry were snuggling together on the couch. " Fine-wait a second. Hold it right there. 

Am I still sleeping or do I see Harry Potter snuggling with my sister." With that both Harry and Ginny

tTurned a deep shade of crimson and Hermione came over to change the subject.

That night after everyone went to bed Ron was wide-awake having slept all day.

He went up to his dormitory with everyone else but quickly crept downstairs to his usual chair

Waiting for him again was a letter but this time instead there was a cup of soup sitting next to

It with it's own little not, which read: " Since you were sick"

Dear Ron,

I don'T wants to lead you on by saying you're a new friend. Because in case you didn't know we have been 

For some time now. In fact we met on the Hogwarts Express when we were just in our first year. I have talked

To you since then but I haven't been to open with you. I tried so hard to tell you so many times. But alas I 

Couldn't get the words out. Ron I think you and I would be perfect together I want to tell you that I'm hurt and

I need you. But I could never say it to your face. You mean too much to me in other ways to risk it. Is that unfair?

Of me? Ron I wish you loved me too.... This will be the last letter I write to you but thank you for being there when

I needed to vent my feelings.

I'll see you around. Will you see me?

Love,

Me

Ron was so baffled. Who could this mystery writer be? At that Hermione came in through the portrait whole.

" Whatcha doing up so late Herm?"

"Well I thought it was a perfect night for a stroll." She replied

"By yourself?" 

"Yeah why not?"

Hermione was often by herself these days Ron noticed. Could she be...nah. At this moment Hermione glanced

Up and noticed Ron looking at her. I f only I had the guts to tell him she thought...If only...

Ron woke up just as baffled as ever. He completely lost. He had no clue who this mystery person 

could be. A few days passed and it was now the day before the ball. Not only was Ron panicking

About finding the mystery writer but Harry and Ginny were definitely an item now. They were together 

Constantly. On more then one occasion Ron had seen Harry lean over and whisper things into Ginny's

ear. As far as he knew they had not yet kissed but he couldn't be to sure. In his desperation he decided

he needed to confide in someone his feelings for the mystery writer." Oi Hermione." Said Ron "Can you 

keep a secret?"

" Of course Ron." she said " What is it?"

" Well...." And Ron went on to spill his guts about his feelings for this writer. He told how he had

constantly had a feeling that he somehow knew the writer. And he told of how he desperately wanted to ask her 

to the ball. She was the one person who Ron had ever connected with. He didn't even care what she looked like. 

She could be Eloise Midgen for all he cared. All he knew was that she was special and he felt he was the

only one who could help her see that. 

Hermione was shocked at the news but she did her best to hide it. She suggested he leave the person

A note on the chair by the fire just like she had left him. "You could even leave her Butter Beer like she did for you"

With that last sentence Hermione left Ron's side and headed up to the girls dormitory. It was then that

Ron Realized that he had not told Hermione about the Butter Beer or the chair by the fire. And with that though came

his sudden realization. Why hadn't he seen it sooner. Hermione was the writer! He had also took their friendship

for granted. He never really asked her about her family before. Their time together had always been spent at his 

house. Ron had to tell Hermione that he knew that it was her but he wasn't sure how.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While Ron was thinking it over Hermione was sitting on her bed by herself. " I can't believe he feels that way about me.

I've always liked him but I never thought he would return those feelings." That's when a sudden thought hit her like

a ton of bricks. What if he had already known it was her. What if he just said that so she would feel better. What if he 

didn't really like her? Hermione suddenly felt very alone. She had always had a lonely ache inside her. She just never 

knew that the pain would deepen. Ron and Harry and Ginny meant a lot to her. They were her only friends. And maybe

she had just messed things up. It seemed she was always messing things up. She couldn't take it anymore. She faced the

sad realization that she would be spending the Snowflake Ball by herself. But just in case Ron did leave her a note she decided 

that she would creep downstairs after everyone had gone to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" Sure you can Ron. But why do you need it?"

" Well I never got to use your invisibility cloak by myself and I thought it'd be fun to roam around tonight."

" Well sure I'll leave it ut on my bed. But Ginny and I....err... well we're going to use the Marauders Map."

" No problem" said Ron. He was so glad Harry had said yes that he ignored the fact that him and Ginny were 

slipping off by themselves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night at around 11 o'clock Hermione slipped out of her bed. She put on her slippers before heading out the 

dormitory door and down the stairs that lead to the common room. She was surprised to see that there was indeed 

a note waiting for her. Next to the note was a plate of sugar cookies. " My favorite!" She thought. But how did he know

to leave sugar cookies? She carefully picked up the not and unfolded it.

It read:

LOOK BEHIND YOU!

Puzzled Hermione slowly turned around. Appearing from underneath the invisibility cloak was Ron. " I knew that it was you."

he said. " And I know that I've been blind" With that he slowly crossed the common room until he was standing just less then

an arms length in front of her.

" Oh Ron" She said and then began to weep. He wrapped his arms around her and comforted her in a soothing voice.

When she was alright again the two of them sat down on the love seat by the fire. Ron then got up off the couch and kneeled 

in front of Hermione. "Hermione Granger." He said in a quavering voice. " Will you go to the ball with me?" And he withdrew a 

jewelry box from the pocket of his robes.

" Oh Ron! Of course I will!" Exclaimed Hermione forgetting her sadness. Ron then opened the box to reveal a beautiful silver locket

with a key hole on it. Inside was a picture of the two of them together that had been taken at Ron's house over the summer.

"Now I hold the key to your heart"he said. And he pulled out a chain with a small silver key on it. He fastened the locket around 

Hermione's neck and slipped the key into a little box.

" But Ron....I don't have anything for you." she said disappointed.

" Aw that's alright Hermione." Said Ron blushing. He couldn't believe he had actually been able to say those things to her. 

" Wait." said Hermione. " Maybe I do." And with that she leaned over and gave him a kiss.

It was the big day. The ball had finally arrived. Ron and Harry had agreed to meet the girls in the Great Hall at 7:30. Ron was extremely nervous and his hands trembled violently and his legs threatened not to work. Harry seemed rather calm and Ron was jealous. He and Ginny had already known they were special to each other but this was new to Ron and Hermione. But the world seemed to stop as Ron entered the ball. The Great Hall was beautiful! Icicles shimmered everywhere. Enchanted snow fell inside as real snow hushed the outside. Sugar Plum Fairies danced through the flakes. As Hermione walked, no floated, towards Ron he knew he must be in Heaven. Hermione glowed with a natural beauty and inner light. Her cheeks flushed at thee sight of Ron. And Harry's eyes twinkled as Ginny flew into his arms. They were right under mistletoe and it was there that Harry gave her their first kiss. It was a special moment for both of them and one they told there kids about when they grew up.

The band started with a nice slow song as dinner was served. The snowflakes stopped falling and hung suspended over the entire room. Out of the four of them none of them could remember what was served for dinner that night ( a lovely chicken dinner with wonderful side dishes). But none of that mattered to them. They were young and so was the night. After they ate the tables were cleared away and a dance floor appeared. The night started out with several lively numbers.

"Oi Hermione lets sit down for a bit my feet are killing me."

" O alright" she said not wanting to star a fight. " Harry, Ginny come join us for some butterbeers will you?"

So the four of them chatted and laughed for a little while before returning to the dance floor for the first slow dance of the night. The world seemed to stand still. They where so young and so naive. Many hardships would come to them but at that moment they were saved from the truth. They could continue to dance and laugh and be kids. 

Harry and Ginny would grow up to be married. They would grow old together and have 4 kids. Harry would be an auror and Ginny a teacher. The worst day would be when there youngest child was killed by Voldemort right before his downfall. Their greatest triumph would be to witness his down fall with Ron as the minister of magic. But there life would hold other hardships too. They will have broken up only once in there life together and it would take them a year to realize there need for one another.

Ron and Hermione would also get married. They would have only one child together. Ron never wanted their child to feel as over shadowed as he had. Hermione would be a big help to Ron while he was Minister and they would have a wonderful life. They're worst moment would be a very dark day. It would be the day that their godson died in the arms of his mother. But it would also be the day the defense got stronger against Voldemort. 

So there lives should go on as often they do. They would share many dances besides the one tonight. But this was the one that would matter the most. This was the one that brought them all closer o each other and the day which Ginny became a permanent fourth in there circle. And for once Ron didn't mind sharing. 

The End

A/N: "Well that's all there is there isn't anymore" I hope that you liked my first story. Please r/r!!

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